Suction cleaner



May 27, 1941. a. c. BECKER SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E O MMM m 6m was du aB i nf. F .mH BWM e f4 w May 27, 1941- B. cfBEcKER 2,243,066

sUcTIoN CLEANER l Filed Dec. 29, 1938 s sheets-sheet 2 BY Bernice Bec/fer .Exef

` mwa 'May 27, 194k BQ c. BECKER SUCTION CLEANER med uw. 29. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Ill- |||l|||||||| MQ m. @www mw m 3mm C. r Mm a@ ni` w BMM .ma

Patented May 27, 1941 by Bernice E. Becker, executrix, York, P signor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, 'a corporation of Ohio Y In, IS-

Application December 29, 1938, Serial No. 248,298

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and particularly to new and improved handle control mechanism in a suction cleaner. More specically the invention comprises an improved handle position control in a suction cleaner which is characterized in that the handle is locked in position when bodily moved with respect to the cleaner. f

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object to provide new and improved handle control means in a suction cleaner. It is another object to provide a handle control mechanism that is operated merely by manipulating the handle. A further` object is to provide a handle control mechanism that is operated by the weight of the cleaner to lock the handle in storage position and prevent relative movement between the cleaner casing and the handle. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon referring to the following specification and claims and the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suction cleaner embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention showing the handle locked in storage position;

Figure 3 is a view showing the handle in a low operating position;

Figure 4 is a section corresponding substantially to the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the handle in storage position; l

Figure 6 is a sectional View of another embodiment of the invention showing the handle in storage position;

Figure 'I is a section ure 6, and

Figure 8 is a view of the handle in a low operating position.

One embodiment bi the invention shown in Figures 2 through 5 is employed in the suction cleaner illustrated in Figure 1 comprising a main casing I having a nozzle` I I and an unshown ian chamber communicating with an exhaust passageway I2, the rear end of which is provided with a vertical ange I3 to which is removably secured a dust bag I4, which is supported at its upper end to a handle I pivotally mounted on the casing I0. The casing I0 supports an unshown motor enclosed in the motor housing I6, and the motor operates an unshown fan to create suction and draw dirt-laden air from the surface being cleaned into the nozzle II, the unalong the line 1 1 of Figshown fan chamber, and exhausts the dirt-laden air into the dirt filtering bag I4. The cleaner is supported on front and rear wheels I'I and I8 respectively.

The cleaner is propelled over the surface covering by means of the handle I5 removably clamped in a rectangular handle socket 20 which.

is formed with integral fiat side walls 2|, 2| a front wall 22 and a rearwall 23. The handle socket 20 is rigidly mounted on'an ovalfshaped sleeve 24 extending through-the socket side walls 2|, the major axis of the oval sleeve extending Y longitudinally of the cleaner handle. The oval sleeve 24 is loosely disposed about a pivot pin 25 having its opposite ends supported in spaced handle brackets 25, 26 each provided with an offset portion 21 rigidly mounted on the cleaner casing above the exhaust passageway I2. 'Ihe oval opening in the sleeve k24 permits pivotal and bodily movement of the handle with respect to the pivot pin 25 and the casing I0.

Segment means are provided along the central longitudinal axis of the handle socket 20 and includes a segment plate 28 journalled on a bushing I3 rigidly supported on the oval sleeve 24, and the plate 28 is provided along its forward edge with recesses 29,` 30 and 3| dened by stops 32, 33 and 84 to form three ranges of handle position. The segment plate 28 has a downwardly extending tongue which is loosely disposed in a socket 36 formed irithe upper wall of the casing III to permit vertical movement of the plate 28 when the latter is moved bodily with the handle socket 20 with respect to the pivot pin 25 and the casing I0, as shown in Figure 5.

Cooperating with the segment means are handle control roller detent means which comprise an elongated rectangularly shaped detent ball casing 31 which extends throughthe side walls of the handle socket'20 and is provided at its 0pposite ends with cylindrical projections 38 each having a semi-cylindrical portion 39. The detent ball casing is additionally rigidly supported in the handle socket 20 by aA pair of arms 40 each having one end embracing the circular projections 38 and the opposite .end rigidly carried by the oval sleeve 2.4. A slot l4I is provided transversely through three walls of the casing 3l and spans the segment plate 28. Loosely disposed in the ball casing 3l is a pair of detent balls 42 which are retained in the casing by means of a pair of plugs 43 each having a cylindrical section l 44 extending beyond the extreme ends of the ball casing 31. The detent balls 42 are normally urged into engagement with each other by means of laminated leaf springs 45, 45 each having one end arranged about the plug projections 44 and the opposite end rigidly secured to the oval sleeve 24. In the foregoing construction when the handle is in the low operating position shown in Figure 3, the detent balls are in engagement and ride along the cam surface 29 and when the handle is moved to a higher operating position the detent balls are separated by the stop 33 against the force exerted by the leaf springs 45; whereby- Ithe handlewill be free'to move into a higher 'operating position.

In order to prevent relative bodily movement between the pivot pin 25 and the handle socket means are provided to rigidly positionthey handle with respect to the pivot pin and comprises a member 43 having a bottom wall 41 secured to the upper wall of the exhaust passage-` way I2, a hack wall 43 attached to the exhaust ilange I3 and a pair of upstanding side walls 43 equally spaced from the segment plate 23. The

side walls 43 are provided with forwardly exv tending arms 50, 5I each having an arcuate cam surface 5| which extends substantially fromthe segment stop 34 upwardly andforwardly to the stop 32. 'Ihe arcurate arms 50- arr.- provided with a rectangular slot 52 opposite the segment recess 3| which is adapted to receive the detent means or detent ball casing 31 to hold the handle in storage position shown in Figure 2. When the handle is moved through the operating ranges between the detent stops 32 and 34 one wall 53.

of the detent casing 31 slides along the cam surfaces 5| of the arms 50 to force the handle socket forwardly as shown in Figure 3 to thereby prevent relative bodily movement'between the handie socket 20V and the pivot pin 25. When the handle is in storage position the detent casing is arranged opposite the storage locking slots 52 and enters the latter when the weight is removed from the casing I0 by exerting an upward lift on the handle to cause the latter and the detent casing 31 to bodily move with respect pin 25. Y

In order to counterbalance theweight of the cleaner handle I5 a pair of springs 54 are pro- .vided and have one end secured to lugs on rthehandle brackets 21 and their opposite ends secured to pins 55, 55 secured to the side walls of the handle socket at a point forwardly of the handle pivotal axis 25.

In operation, assume the handle is inV the low operating position shown in Figure 3, the detent balls 42 disposed in the recess 23, and the detent casing 31 in engagement with the arcuate surfaces 5I so as to prevent bodily movement between the handle control means and the pivotal axis 25. If it is desired to move the handle to its intermediateoperating position the operator merely rotates the handle upwardly and the to permit the handle to move past the latter, and thereafter the springs 45 move the detent balls 42 toward each other to permit movement of the handle in the operating range betwcenstops 33 and 34 into the recess 35. If it is desired to move the handle to storage position the operator merely rotates the handle upwardly until the detent balls 42 enter the storage recess 3|.

When the handle is in storage position the major axis of fthe oval sleeve 24 is disposed ver'- tically. If it is desired to bodily lift the cleaner to another position the operator exerts an upward force on the cleaner handle to lift the latto the pivot to detent balls 42 are separated against the forceV of the springs 45 as they approach the stop 33 ter, which causes the cleaner handle l5, handle control means and the oval sleeve 24 'to move bodily upwardly with respect to the pivot pin 25 and casing I5. Since the detent casing 31 is in register with the locking slots 52 in the arms 55, the upward movement of the handle causes the detentI casing 31 to enter the locking slots 52 and due to the rectangular contour ofthe locking detent means 31, the latter will be locked in the slots 52, to prevent the cleaner nozzle from rotating downwardly withv respect to the handle. When the operator places the cleaner on the floor vthe handle socket 20, segment 23 and detent casing 31 will move downwardly with respect to the pivot. pin 25 and casing I0, the detent casing 31 moving downwardly out of engagement with thelocking slots 52 whereby the detent balls 42 `yiellably hold the handle in storage position.

.Another embodiment of the invention is shown journaled about a pivot pin 5| mounted for bodily movement'in elongated oval openings 52 in apair o`f spaced arms 53 of a handle bracket 54 having a back wall 55 secured to the exhaust flange I3 of the cleaner casing III.

'I'he oval openings B2 have their major axis arranged vertically in the handle brackets, whereby the pivot pin 6I may be moved vertically therein, 'I'he rectangular detent ball casing 31 is disposed transversely of the handle socket walls 2| and is additionally secured to the socket by means of a pair of arms 45 each having one end attached to the projecting ends 33 of the detent casing 31 and the opposite end rigidly secured to the cylindrical sleeve 50. The detent balls 42 are loosely accommodated in the detent casing 31 and are retained in the latter by means of the plugs 43 and the leaf springs 45 rigidly secured to the bearing sleeve 50 and journaled about the plugs 43 to urge the detent balls 42 into engagement with each other. The segment means 28 is arranged along the longitudinal central axis of the handle socket and is supported about the bushing I3 concentric with the sleeve 60. The tongue l35 at the lower end of the segment plate 28 is slidably disposed inthe socket 36 formed in the upper wall of the exhaust passageway I2.

Disposed within the handle socket 20 and rigidly secured to the side walls 2| of the latter is a pair of arms 55 each having one end journaled about the bushing I9 and having a forwardly extending portion 63 to which is secured a pair of pins 51 which extend through the side walls 2| of the handle socket. Secured to the extreme ends of the pins 31 are a pair of springs 63 which have their opposite ends secured to lugs 69 providedon the handle bracket 54, the springs acting to counterbalance the weight of the cleaner handle. i

In order to provide a rigid positive locking mechanism to prevent the casing from rotating with respect to the handle when the latter is in storage position and the cleaner is lifted off-theiioor, the arms 65 are each provided with a locking edge 15 which is adapted to engage a stop 1| Yat the upper extreme end ofthe back wall 55 of the handle bracket when 'the handle is bodily moved vertically with respect to the cleaner casmg.

In operation if it is desired to move the handle from low operating position shown in Figure 8 to move the handle to storage position the operator merely rotates the handle upwardly to storage position shown in Fig. 6, and the detent balls 42 will be in register with the storage recess 3| to hold the handle in storage position.

In this position the handle and pivot pin 6l are free to move upwardly in the oval openings 62 in the handle bracket 64, since the major axis 0f the oval openings are at all times disposed vertically. If it is desired to lift the cleaner from the iloor the operator exerts an upward force on the hanv dle which causes the pivot pin 6| and the mech.- anism supported thereby to bodily move vertically in the oval openings B2 with respect to the cas.- ing I0. Upward movement of the handle causes segment 28, the detent means and the locking arms 65 to also move upwardly with respect to the casing I0, the locking edges l0 of the locking arms 65 moving to a point opposite the stops 1I. When the cleaner is completely lifted oi the floor the weight of the cleaner being forward of the pivotal axis 6| causes the nozzle of the cleaner to rotate downwardly. Such downward tilting causes the locking stops 10 and 'Il to abut each other to rigidly lock the casing l0 with respect rto the cleaner handle l5. When the cleaner is again placed on the oor the handle l5, segment 28, detent means 31 and the locking stop 10 will move bodily with respect to the pivot pin 6| downwardly toward the casing to disengage the locking means 10 and 1I and permit normal operation of the handle control means and movement of the handle with respect to the casing.

It is to be understood that the protection herein applied for is not confined to the particular combinations of features or elements set out in the following claims. Protection is herein applied for, for any one or more of the features or elements referred to in the following claims, or described in the foregoing specications or shown inthe accompanying drawings, either independently or in combination.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ambulatory machine, a body, a handle, means constructed and arranged to support said handle pivotally on said body and to permit bodily movement of said handle with respect to said body, locking segment means carried by said body, locking detent means carried by said supporting means and bodily moveable with said handle, said locking detent means being bodily actuated to engage said locking' segment means upon bodily movement of said handle to a predetermined position to lock said handle in said position.

2. In an ambulatory machine, a body, bracket means on said body, a pivot pin carried by said bracket means, a handle, means for supporting said handle, said supporting means being pivotally mounted about said pivot pin and arranged with respect to the Ylatter for bodily movement with respect thereto, and coacting locking means carried by said supporting means and said body, said coaeting locking means being actuated into locking engagement upon said bodily movement of said handle with respect to said pivot pin to a predetermined position to look said handle in said position.

3. In an ambulatory machine, a body, bracket means on said body, a pivot pin carried by said bracket means, arhandle, means for supporting said handle, said supporting means having a lost-motion connection -with said pivot pin for pivotalA and bodily movement of said handle with 'respect to said pivot pin,l handle control means for holding ksaid handle in different positions when the latter is pivoted about said pivot pin, means for preventing said vbodily movementot said handle when the latter is moved to said different positions, and coasting locking means carried by said supporting means and said body, said coacting locking means Ibeing actuated into lock-V ing engagement upon bodily movement of said handle with respect to said pivot p in to apredetermined position to lock saidhandle 1in said.

including segment and detentmeans Vfor holding said handle in diierent positions when the latter is pvoted about said pivot pin,locki11g. detent means, cam means engageable. with ,said Alocking detent means for `preventing said .bodily movement of said handle when ,the` latter is pivoted to said different positons, and:lockingsegmentl means actuated into locking engagement (with said locking detent means upon said bodily movement of said vhandle with respect rtosaid pivot pin to another position to lock said handle in said another position., 1 Y, g 4

5. In an. ambulatory machine, a. body, bracket means on said body, a pivot pin carried by said bracket means and mounted thereon for a bodily movement with respect thereto, a handle, means for pivotally supporting said handle on said pivot pin, and coacting locking means carried by said supporting means and said body, said coacting locking means being actuated into locking engagement upon lbodily movement oi said handle and pivot pin to a predetermined position to lock said handle in said position.

6. In an ambulatory machine, a body, a handle, bracket means on said body and having an elongated opening with its major axis substantially parallel to the storage position of said handle, a

pivot pin carried in said opening for bodily movement along its major axis, means for pivotally supporting said handle on said pivot pin, and coacting locking means carried by said supporting means and said body, said coacting locking means being actuated into locking engagement upon bodily movement of said handle and pivot pin to said storage position to lock said handle in said position.

'1. In an ambulatory machine, a body, a. handle pivotally mounted on said body, segment means and detent means carried by said handle and comprising a detent casing carried by said handle, a pair of detent balls carried byl said casing and disposed on opposite sides oi said segment means, spring means for urgingsaid detent balls into engagement, said detent balls coacting with said segment means upon movement of said handle to hold the latter in the desired position.

8. In a suction cleaner, a body, supporting means on said body constructed and arranged to support pivdtally said handle during -normal cleaning operation and including means to permit bodily movement of said handle with respect to said body, handle control means for resistingly maintaining'said handle inY-different' operative positions upon said pivotal`movement of said handle-with respect to said body, andcoacting locking means carried by said supporting means and said body actuated upon said bodily movement of said handle with respect to said body for rigidly locking said handle with respect to said 9. In an ambulatory machine, a body, a han die, means pivotally and'slidably mounting saidA handle on said body, and coacting locking means having a part carried by said body and another part movable with said handle, said coacting locking means beim actuated by translatory movement of said handle on said slidable mounting into locking engagement Vto lock saidliandle against pivotal movement on said body.

10. Inv an ambulatory machine, -a body, means on said body 'defining elongated openings, a han' locking engagement to lock said handle against pivotal' movement on said body;

11. In a suction cleaner, al casing, a handle pivoted on said casing, handle control means forA resistlngly maintaining said handle in different operating positions relative to said casing and includingl a displaceable-element, andlocking means automatically operablelupon lifting the cleaner from the oor engageable with said control means to lock said element against displacement positively and so lock said handle with respect tov said' casing.

12. Ina suction cleaner, a casing, a handle pivoted on said casing, handle control means for resistingly maintaining said handle in different operatingpositions relative to said casing, and means pivotallymounted on said casing for locking said control means to positively lock said handle with respect to said cleaner, said locking means being actuated by the inuence ofgravity when said cleaner is lifted from its supporting surface.

13. In 'a suction cleaner, a casing containing cleaner mechanism, a' handle pivoted on said casing `toward the rear of the latter rearwardly of the centerV of gravity thereof, said casing of its to move to operative position upon the lifting of'l the cleaner.

' BERNICE E. BECKER, Executix of the Estate of Bernard C. Becker, De-

ceased. 

